I am a total convert to pinching.  I literally am pinching everything.

Ive done a few side by sides and pinching 100% produces more fruit and earlier, lignifies wood, makes the tree bushier(more branches = more fruit), and stops plants from getting leggy.

Ive pinched everything from first year trees to 3 year old trees.

I am only keeping 1 HC unpinched so Martin doesn't yell at me.

It works on so many levels.  Thank you Herman.

If I went around pinching everything in sight, it would land me in jail, plus my wife would be very upset.

Sorry, I couldn't resist a little humor.

That's funny. You are in Vermont....Anything goes

Yeah suggest you limit your pinching to the fig trees Tim. The wife tends to pinch back if I try it with her. I would do well to pinch my trees more often as they seem to be shooting up as fast as can be. 

I did a lot of pinching today. My husband pinches back so I didn't go there.

This past week I pinched many of my rooted cuttings that were growing vigorously. Most were over a foot tall. Am hoping they'll bush out from there. Each step of the way there seems to be something new to learn. :)

I clipped the main stem, but did not pinch the side branches of a VdB I purchased earlier this year. They are now too long but I will let them be. Guess they'll be pruned in the winter. At least the little tree has 3 nice branches. And figs. :)

A couple years ago on this forum I read that pinching when a branch has 5 leaves encourages more branching and figs, and it truly does!  I've got one, though, and it's new with a major main trunk going on, and I'd really like that trunk to actually get a little higher before I pinch, so next year, I'll pinch that one.  It's an LSU Gold.  I'd like at least one to become a full fledged tall tree, and that one has such lush green leaves.......  Plus, I read the LSU Gold needs time for the figs to start developing flavor.  Best on older trees.

Suzi

pinching really works. tho, i have to find some way to pinch it and not get all the latex on my hand. not that i have any issue with it, but they can get sticky. tried to cut the bud off with my knife.. and it's even harder to get the latex off the knife. found out peanut butter works great for cleaning knives.

Pete,

Get yourself some wire cutters. They make a clean cut and are compact. Or put on a latex flove before you pinch

You do have to be careful though. Several universities claim that FMV can be spread by using pruners on FMV infected trees.

Slingha naw i dont yell. But that plant will make a nice tree shape and one can always let a tree grow wild for a season or two and then prune anyway they want.  ; )
Oh i always have a 5 gallon bucket of rainwater from my tank and if i'm not wearing my gloves when pruning i prune them use the bucket to rinse my hands.

Just this morning i was breaking off some ends off my argentile bending down looking closely and it squirted latex on my face.
This brought me indoors for a face washing.

Went back outside and had short conversation with plant something like this.

" I swear you have 1 more season beside this to give me good figs or you will be destroyed just like your other UcDavis friends  - Pastiliere and Zidi."

Italians and pinching go hand in hand.
I tried  cleaning my knife with peanut butter, but I keep cutting my mouth.
What length must one pinch off to ahve desired effect of lignifiying?

Pinching is the only reason I got some main crop figs growing on my Chicago Hardy. I did it to encourage more branching and I got that - plus some figs to boot. Next year I will pinch sooner in the season. Our summer is so short and I waited till July to pinch. 

I visited a very nice local forum member yesterday (who gave me a tree! How kind is that?) and he showed me a young ronde de bordeaux that he has pinched like crazy and it had the most beautiful shape. So small (young) but so many lateral branches. I just loved the shape. I had been hesitant to pinch too much but not anymore! I went home and pinched everything I had ;)

I'm not going to say a thing....Nope.....not me.

I have the same images in my head and also will not say anything, lol.

Was it me? You guys are funny. 

Men.

I forget sometimes I am on a forum dominated by men ;)

Even in the dog world (canine, not men. I know that can be confusing;), which i am active in, it is the same. After a few beers or jello shots (hey, we know how to keep it real) you have to reeeaaally watch what you say!

;-)

Back the subject of figs.... ;)

How late into the season do you continue to pinch the buds? As long as the plant is actively growing, or is there a date after-which you no longer do it?

Thanks.

I think after they have produced their figs, and you have enjoyed them, stop pinching, let them go dormant, then when 5 leaves appear in spring on the shoots, pinch!

Mine are done here in the hot desert.  There are no more figs.  So if I pinched it would be for fullness, not figs.  At this time, best to wait till dormancy, prune, save the cuttings for propagation, and then pinch like crazy when the new growth begins.

JMHO
Suzi

FIGO-

Read this....

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg0611441718628.html

Nichole, thank you for making me smile

i was looking for my old backpack yesterday.. and i found this little tool that i had since i was in high school. it's like wire cutter, but it was made to cut plastic models like cars and airplanes. it will make perfect "pinching machine". i gotta give it a shot when the rain stops. i have one more pinching to do this season.. need to top the White Greek so it won't grow too tall.